Vehicle fuel refilling stations such as those including the self-service gas pumps used by most personal and commercial vehicles, have been identified as one of the prime points of contact with bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions and other pathogens which can be transmitted by personal contact. (Los Angeles Times; “Germiest Place in America? The Gas Pump”, Oct. 25, 2011). This hazard is becoming accentuated as disease carrying pathogens become ever increasingly resistant to modern antibiotics. (“increasing Resistance to Antibiotics is Like Ticking Time Bomb, says England's Medical Chief Davies”, TopNews.net/nz Mar. 11, 2013).
Additionally, vehicle fuel refilling in the modern age is primarily a self-service endeavor, and subjects customers to ongoing exposure to liquid fuel residues and their odors left on their skin in the course of filling their fuel tank.
Despite the growing risk of antibiotic-resistant pathogen transmission in the fuel refilling environment and the chronic risk of exposure to noxious chemicals during self-service at the pump, very little protection is currently offered to address these issues. Some of the reasons for the virtual lack of available protection devices are believed to be the absence of available devices that may be conveniently stored and accessed, and that are able to maximize protection and ease of use.
Thus, a need exists for hand protection for use in the vehicle refueling and other environments that limits exposure to noxious chemicals and protects against various pathogens, and is conveniently stored and easy to use.